Seating device

ABSTRACT

A seating device includes a headrest movably connected to a seat body. An adjustment mechanism is provided to adjust the position of the headrest relative to the seat body. An operating unit has a driving member to actuate the adjustment mechanism, and a handle portion bending from the driving member. The driving member is movable between non-operative and operative positions. In the non-operative position, the handle portion abuts against the headrest, and the driving member is inoperative to actuate the adjustment mechanism. In the operative position, the handle portion protrudes outward from the headrest, and the driving member is able to actuate the adjustment mechanism.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/990,131, filed on Aug. 11, 2020, which claims priority to ChinesePatent Application No. 201910836400.9, filed on Sep. 3, 2019.

FIELD

The disclosure relates to a seating device, and more particularly to aseating device that has an adjustment mechanism for adjustment of aheadrest.

BACKGROUND

A child safety seat is commonly installed in a vehicle for ensuringsafety of a child in the vehicle. The child safety seat typicallyincludes a seat base, a backrest part, and a headrest part. Generally, aheight-adjusting mechanism is disposed between the backrest part and theheadrest part, and an operating device is provided to operate theheight-adjusting mechanism for adjustment of the height of the headrestpart relative to the backrest part. However, the operating deviceexisting in the prior art is disadvantageous in that it is disposed onthe child safety seat in a protruding fashion, and is prone to run therisk of being accidentally touched or pressed, which can lead toundesirable movement of the headrest relative to the backrest and henceadverse effect on safety. In addition, the existing operating deviceprotruding from the child safety seat is not aesthetic.

SUMMARY

Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a seating devicethat can alleviate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art.

According to the disclosure, a seating device includes a seat body, aheadrest, an adjustment mechanism, and an operating unit.

The headrest is movably connected to the seat body. The adjustmentmechanism is connected between the seat body and the headrest to adjusta position of the headrest relative to the seat body.

The operating unit is movably mounted to the headrest and has a drivingmember to actuate the adjustment mechanism, and a handle portion bendingfrom the driving member. The driving member is movable between anon-operative position and an operative position.

When the driving member is in the non-operative position, the handleportion abuts against an outer surface of the headrest, and the drivingmember is inoperative to transmit an actuation movement from the handleportion to the adjustment mechanism for actuating the adjustmentmechanism.

When the driving member is in the operative position, the handle portionis spaced away and protrudes from the outer surface, and the drivingmember is operative to transmit the actuation movement to the adjustmentmechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent inthe following detailed description of the embodiment with reference tothe accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a seating device according toan embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the seating device viewed in adifferent direction, which illustrates an operating unit in anon-operative state;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 , but illustrating the operative unitin an operative state;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a spring tensioned by theoperating unit in the operative state;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a driving member of theoperating unit being fully uncovered;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of an encircled portion of FIG. 7 ;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating first and secondlocking units of the adjustment mechanism being interlocked; and

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 9 , but illustrating the first and secondlocking unit being uninterlocked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a seating device 100 according to an embodimentof the disclosure. The seating device 100 includes a seat body 4, aheadrest 5, an adjustment mechanism 6, and an operating unit 1.

The seat body 4 is mounted on a base 7 and has a backrest portion 41.

The headrest 5 is movably connected to the backrest portion 41 of theseat body 4. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the headrest 5 has a guidemember 51 disposed below a top end 5 a of the headrest 5. The guidemember 51 has a guide groove 510 extending in a top-bottom direction,and is integral with a generally U-shaped guide frame 50 fixed to theback side of the headrest 5.

The adjustment mechanism 6 is connected between the seat body 4 and theheadrest 5 to adjust the height or position of the headrest 5 relativeto the seat body 4. The adjustment mechanism 6 includes a first lockingunit 611 (see FIG. 1 ), a driven member 610 and a second locking unit613. The first locking unit 611 is formed as a toothed rack mounted tothe backrest portion 41 of the seat body 4. The driven member 610 isU-shaped and movably mounted to the headrest 5. The second locking unit613 is connected to the driven member 610 and has a tooth-engaging shaft6130 (see FIG. 2 ) interlockable with the first locking unit (thetoothed rack) 611 to lock the headrest 5 against movement relative tothe seat body 4 (FIGS. 1 and 9 ). Further structural details of theadjustment mechanism 6 are not intended to be disclosed herein as theyare irrelevant to the scope of protection to be sought by the presentdisclosure.

The operating unit 1 is movably mounted to the headrest 5, and has adriving member 11 to actuate the driven member 610, and a handle portion12 bending from the driving member 11. As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 ,the driving member 11 slidably extends downward through the guide groove510 from the handle portion 12. The driving member 11 is movable alongthe guide groove 510 between a non-operative position and an operativeposition.

In the non-operative position, the driving member 11 is inoperative totransmit an actuation movement of the handle portion 12 to the drivenmember 610 of the adjustment mechanism 6. In the operative position, thedriving member 11 is operative to transmit the actuation movement to thedriven member 610.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7 , the driving member 11 has two engagingholes 111. The driven member 610 has two engaging pins 614 (see FIG. 7). The driving member 11 is movably connected to the driven member 610of the adjustment mechanism 6 by inserting the engaging pins 614 intothe respective engaging holes 111.

Each engaging hole 111 is elongated in a top-bottom direction and has ahole boundary. Each engaging pin 614 is slidable along the respectiveengaging hole 111. The driving member 11 has active transmitting parts1111, each of which is situated at a bottom side of the hole boundary ofthe respective engaging hole 111. The driven member 610 has passivetransmitting parts 6140 each of which is situated at a bottom side ofone of the engaging pin 614 and faces the active transmitting part 1111of the respective engaging hole 111.

The term “active transmitting part” used herein refers to a part of thedriving member 11, at which the actuation movement is delivered to thedriven member 610. The term “passive transmitting part” used hereinrefers to a part of the driven member 610 at which the actuationmovement is received by the driven member 610. The active transmittingparts 1111 of the driving member 11 engage the respective passivetransmitting parts 6140 of the driven member 610 in the operativeposition and disengage from the respective passive transmitting parts6140 in the non-operative position.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 , when the driving member 11is in the operative position, the handle portion 12 is spaced away andprotrudes from the outer surface of the top end 5 a of the headrest 5.As the passive transmitting parts 6140 of the engaging pins 614respectively engage the active transmitting parts 1111 of the engagingholes 111, the actuation movement to actuate the driven member 610 canbe transmitted by the driving member 11 from the handle portion 12 tothe driven member 610.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 8 , the seating device 100 further includes aresilient member 3 for urging the driving member 11 to move to thenon-operative position. In this embodiment, the resilient member 3connects between the driving member 11 and the headrest 5, and normallyapplies a downward urging force to the driving member 11. The resilientmember 3 is, but not limited to, a coiled spring that has an endextending into the engaging hole 112 so as to be attached to the drivingmember 11. Another end of the resilient member 3 is attached to theheadrest 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , when the driving member 11 is in thenon-operative position, the handle portion 12 abuts against the outersurface of the top end 5 a of the headrest 5 due to the downward urgingforce of the resilient member 3. The driving member 11 is inoperative totransmit the actuation movement to the driven member 610 of theadjustment mechanism 6. The driving member 11 is inoperative because theactive transmitting parts 1111 of the engaging holes 111 disengage fromthe respective passive transmitting parts 6140 of the engaging pins 614.As the engaging holes 111 are moved downwardly together with the drivingmember 11 by the biasing action of the resilient member 3, top sides ofthe engaging pins 614 respectively engage top sides of the holeboundaries of the engaging holes 111. The top sides of the engagingholes 111 are not active transmitting parts 1111 of the driving member11, and the top sides of the engaging pins 614 are not passivetransmitting parts of the driven member 610. This is because theactuation movement of the handle portion 12 is neither delivered by thedriving member 11 at the top sides of the engaging holes 111, norreceived by the driven member 610 at the top sides of the engaging pins614. The actuation movement will cause separation of the top sides ofthe engaging holes 111 from the top sides of the respective engagingpins 614.

In the operative position, as the handle portion is spaced away from theouter surface of the headrest 5 against the biasing action of theresilient member 3, handling of the handle portion 12 may befacilitated.

For operating the operating unit 1 to adjust the position of theheadrest 5 relative to the seat body 4, the handle portion 12 may bepulled upward away from the top end 5 a of the headrest 5. In thissituation, the driving member 11 is moved upward so that the engagingpins 614 engage the active transmitting parts 1111 of the holeboundaries of the respective engaging holes 111. Upon continued upwardpulling of the handle portion 12, the driven member 610 is moved upwardby the driving member 11 so that the tooth engaging shaft 6130 of thesecond locking unit 613 is uninterlocked with the toothed rack of thefirst locking unit 611 (see FIG. 10 ). Thus, movement of the headrest 5relative to the seat body 4 is allowed for height adjustment. As thehandle portion 12 is moved upward, the resilient member 3 is tensionedbetween the driving member 11 and the seat body 4 to store a restoringforce. After the height of the headrest 5 relative to the seat body 4 isadjusted, the handle portion 12 may be released so that it is returnedto abut against the top end 5 a of the headrest 5 by the restoring forceof the resilient member 3. Therefore, the handle portion 12 is preventedfrom being accidentally pulled upward when the driving member 11 is inthe non-operative position. Due to the handle portion 12 normally placedin a non-protruding position, the seating device 100 has an improvedaesthetic appearance compared to the prior art having protrudingoperating handles or knobs.

While the engaging holes 111 are provided in the driving member 11 andthe engaging pins 614 are provided in the driven member 610 in thisembodiment, according to other embodiments, the engaging holes may beprovided in the driven member 610, and the engaging pins may be providedin the driving member 11. In this case, the active transmitting part ofthe driving member 11 is situated at the top side of the engaging pin,and the passive transmitting part of the driven member 610 is situatedat the top side of the engaging hole.

In the description above, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details have been set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the embodiment. It will be apparent, however, to oneskilled in the art, that one or more other embodiments may be practicedwithout some of these specific details. It should also be appreciatedthat reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” an embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number andso forth means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristicmay be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be furtherappreciated that in the description, various features are sometimesgrouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereoffor the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in theunderstanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or morefeatures or specific details from one embodiment may be practicedtogether with one or more features or specific details from anotherembodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described in connection with what isconsidered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that thisdisclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment(s) but is intendedto cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope ofthe broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modificationsand equivalent arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A seating device comprising: a seat body; aheadrest movably connected to said seat body; an adjustment mechanismconnected between said seat body and said headrest to adjust a positionof said headrest relative to said seat body; and an operating unitmovably mounted to said headrest and having a driving member to actuatesaid adjustment mechanism, said driving member being movable between anon-operative position and an operative position, wherein, when saiddriving member is in the non-operative position, said driving member isinoperative to transmit an actuation movement to said adjustmentmechanism for actuating said adjustment mechanism, wherein, when saiddriving member is in the operative position, said driving member isoperative to transmit the actuation movement to said adjustmentmechanism, and wherein, said operating unit further has a handle portionbending from said driving member.
 2. The seating device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein, when said driving member is in the operative position,said handle portion is spaced away and protrudes from an outer surfaceof head rest.
 3. The seating device as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising a resilient member urging said driving member to move to thenon-operative position.
 4. The seating device as claimed in claim 3,wherein said adjustment mechanism includes a driven member movablymounted to said headrest, said driving member having an activetransmitting part, said driven member having a passive transmitting partthat engages said active transmitting part in the operative position anddisengages from said active transmitting part in the non-operativeposition, said driving member being able to transmit the actuationmovement to said driven member when said passive transmitting partengages said active transmitting part.
 5. The seating device as claimedin claim 4, wherein one of said driving and driven members has anengaging hole, the other one of said driving and driven members havingan engaging pin inserted into said engaging hole, said activetransmitting part being situated at one of said engaging hole and pin,said passive transmitting part being situated at the other one of saidengaging hole and pin.
 6. The seating device as claimed in claim 5,wherein said engaging hole is elongated and surrounded by a holeboundary, said engaging pin being slidable within said engaging hole. 7.The seating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driving memberhas said engaging hole, said driven member having said engaging pin. 8.The seating device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said handle portionabuts against said outer surface disposed at a top end of said headrestwhen said driving member is in the non-operative position, and is spacedaway from said top end of said headrest to protrude upwardly when saiddriving member is in the operative position.
 9. The seating device asclaimed in claim 8, wherein said engaging hole is elongated in atop-bottom direction of said headrest, said active transmitting partbeing situated at a bottom side of said hole boundary of said engaginghole.
 10. The seating device as claimed in claim 9, wherein saidresilient member normally applies a downward urging force to saiddriving member.
 11. The seating device as claimed in claim 3, whereinsaid resilient member connects between said driving member and saidheadrest.
 12. The seating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein saiddriving member has an engaging hole, said resilient member having an endextending into said engaging hole so as to be attached to said drivingmember.
 13. The seating device as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidheadrest further has a guide member having a guide groove extending in atop-bottom direction, said driving member slidably extending downwardthrough said guide groove from said handle portion.
 14. The seatingdevice as claimed in claim 4, wherein said adjustment mechanism furtherincludes a first locking unit mounted to said seat body, and a secondlocking unit connected to said driven member and interlockable with saidfirst locking unit to lock said headrest against movement relative tosaid seat body, said second locking unit being uninterlocked with saidfirst locking unit to allow movements of said headrest relative to saidseat body when said driving member actuates said driven member.